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BETHLEHEM, Pa. – There’s no question the seniors of the Lehigh baseball program mean a great deal in more ways than one, as evidenced by the success of the team in 2021 and the ways they were honored during last Saturday’s Senior Day ceremony before a doubleheader sweep of Navy.
Now, the Mountain Hawks have a spot in the Patriot League Tournament for the first time since 2016 and have a real opportunity to become Patriot League Champions for the first time since 2015.
Heading into the final weekend of the regular season at Holy Cross, the six members of the Class of 2021 reflected upon their careers in the brown and white as the season winds down.
#4 – Joe Yupp – Catcher – Jupiter, Fla. – Finance
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
JY: Catching a no-hitter my freshman year. It was so cool to be a part of something that rare as a freshman.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
JY: My relationship with the other seniors is extremely strong. We’ve all been through so much together and grown as a group.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
JY: There are definitely mixed emotions going into senior day. For most of us this year is the last year we’re going to get to play baseball but at the same time senior day is a celebration of all of our hard work and accomplishments.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
JY: I will miss my teammates the most. Everything from practice to games to bus rides to team meals. Just getting to hang out and bond with the team is something I will miss dearly.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
JY: The growth of our program has been crazy over my 4 years and I see it continuing to grow after I leave.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Sean Leary as your head coach?
JY: Coach Leary has been awesome to have as a head coach. He’s the type of guy to always be in your corner and always believe in you even when things aren’t going well. He has been a great mentor and leader to this senior class.
What are your post-graduate plans?
JY: I plan on working in the Northeast area after I graduate.
#19 – Eric Cichocki – Outfielder – Zionsville, Pa. – Mechanical Engineering/IBE Finance
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
EC: My favorite Lehigh Baseball memory is when Tony Gallo walked off against Bucknell in back-to-back games. It was awesome to experience the excitement we all had at the end of those games, and they were important wins for us as a team.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
EC: We’ve all been through a lot together and it has been cool to see how the work we’ve all put in throughout the four years is paying off. To look back at our freshman year from now, we have all become so much better players and leaders and I am happy that I’ve got to spend my four years with them.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
EC: It feels like our senior day my freshman year wasn’t that long ago, and to look back on my baseball career and realize that it has been four years is definitely crazy. We still have a lot of season left to go, and my thoughts going in to the end of the season are that I have a limited amount of baseball games left in my career, and I want to take advantage of every opportunity I still have left and enjoy the chance to compete with my teammates.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
EC: I will miss getting to compete with and against my teammates every day. I have been incredibly lucky to have the opportunity to play at a school like Lehigh for four years, and I hope that I will be able to keep the competitive edge I’ve gained throughout my career here as I move on in life.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
EC: When I came to Lehigh my freshman year, I loved the culture that the seniors and coaches had built. I think that we’ve been able to keep this culture and possibly even improve it in the past four years, and I am proud of the growth that I’ve been able to witness in my teammates and myself over this time. There is a lot of work left to do this year, and I hope that this year’s team will be able to leave a mark on the program that will continue to push it forward.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Leary as your head coach?
EC: I have learned a lot from Coach Leary over my time here. I appreciate the culture that he has built in this program and the faith he has had in me as a player. I have definitely had some tough baseball stretches and I am thankful for the support he and my teammates provided to help me get to the point I am today.
What are your post-graduate plans?
EC: I am working in Alexandria, VA for an engineering consulting firm called MPR.
#24 – Sam Wurth – Pitcher – Boca Raton, Fla. – Accounting
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
SW: My favorite Lehigh baseball memories are the times I’ve spent with some of my best friends. The extra inning marathon games, 10-hour bus rides and then coming back to 428 after weekend series wins. The people in this program have made my time here so memorable and through the good times and tough ones, I would not have had it any other way.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
SW: Our senior class has definitely gotten closer throughout the years as we’ve seen each other grow and develop as players and people. The bond we have stems from that original official visit to having them as next-door neighbors and housemates. I think we’ve really done our best to leave Lehigh Baseball better than what it was when we arrived and that’s a major credit to the character of the guys in our class as well as the dedication of our coaching staff. 
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
SW: I’m sure many of us have similar emotions going into senior day. We hear from other upperclassmen and alumni about how quickly the 4 years will pass by and that has been absolutely true. My personal emotions are definitely mixed, bittersweet to put it in a word. I haven’t been able to fully wrap my head around a life without baseball, but I also think I’m ready to close the book and carry the lessons that baseball has taught me into my professional career.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
SW: It’s difficult to pinpoint one thing that I will miss most about Lehigh Baseball, but rather a combination of things that have made my last four years so incredible. Through the daily practices, late lifts and long game days, being a part of this team put me on a really effective routine that taught me the invaluable skills of time management, prioritization and teamwork. It’s been an enjoyable four-year grind, but there were 34 other players grinding right next to me every single day and the memories created with those guys will definitely be missed as well.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
SW: What I think is most encouraging about the growth of Lehigh Baseball is the responsiveness of our coaching staff to provide us with the best tools and technologies to compete and win at the highest level. The investments in Rapsodo and Driveline have returned massive rewards for our pitching staff and they have allowed our program to stay ahead of the curve as these new baseball technologies roll out. It makes me really proud to know that Lehigh Baseball will always be looking out for the best interest of their players to give them an elite college baseball experience.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Leary as your head coach?
SW: Playing for Coach Leary has been an incredibly rewarding experience because I’m leaving Lehigh knowing that I earned every opportunity I received. What this meant to me both personally and athletically is that all the hours of hard work both myself and our coaching staff put into my development were recognized and now as a senior, I can confidently take the mound knowing that I have the unwavering support of Coach Leary for whatever game situation I get put into.
What are your post-graduate plans?
SW: After graduation, I have accepted an offer to work for Lutron Electronics in their Sales Leadership Development Program here in the Lehigh Valley. I’m really excited about this opportunity as it allows me to pursue an exciting career in sales while still being close to Lehigh for the next year.
#28 – Yash Rane – Pitcher – Potomac, Md. – Finance
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
YR: Up until now, probably closing out the game for Coach Leary’s 500th win. Hopefully the favorite memory will be the one at the end of this season.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
YR: The relationship with my fellow seniors is very strong. It started with 10 of us in the class and now we’re the last 6 remaining. We have so much respect for each other and made so many memories on and off the field that I will cherish for the rest of my life. I couldn’t have asked for a better group of guys to share the field with for the past 4 years.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
YR: It’s been a little tough this year especially after getting injured after the second weekend of the season. In the back of my mind I wanted to be able to contribute more especially for the team and more so the seniors in my class. That’s the toughest part but looking at the big picture with COVID and my injury I’ll be back playing college ball.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
YR: The thing that I will miss the most is the team atmosphere and the friendships you make along this journey. I found some of my best friends for the rest of my life and honestly, they’re like my brothers now. We’ve spent countless hours on and off the field and it’s something that is really special.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
YR: It’s actually crazy how much this program has grown in the last four years even with basically two years being affected by the pandemic. I’m very proud of how it has progressed and it has shown in how we’ve been playing this year. Honestly, this program is going to go even further once we get out of the COVID era.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Leary as your head coach?
YR: Coach Leary was one of the main reasons I came to Lehigh in the first place. From the first time I met him he was very genuine and wanted to make me not just a better player but a better person. Coach Leary has had a direct impact on my growth and maturity as a person. Coach knows how to push guys but also be right behind them in their corner which is very special.
What are your post-graduate plans?
YR: I will be continuing to play baseball after graduating either taking a fifth year or going to graduate school. This year was tough since I wasn’t able to play but I want to come back as baseball is something I love to do. Hopefully, once I start throwing again I can figure out my plans.
#34 – Matt Svanson – Pitcher – Hawthorn Woods, Ill. – Finance
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
MS: My favorite Lehigh baseball moment so far was being part of a no-hitter my freshman year. It was one of my first appearances in college and it was a ton of fun being out there to close that game out. It gave me a ton of confidence in my ability moving forward.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
MS: We are all very close to one another, we have been through a lot and have had to deal with a ton these past few years. We always have each other’s backs, especially when some of us needed it the most after our season was cancelled last year. We have dealt with so much adversity and I am proud with how we have all been able to handle it.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
MS: It doesn’t feel like it’s actually ending. It felt like these years flew by and I have barely had any time to sit back and enjoy it all. Obviously losing last year made it feel a lot shorter, but it felt like it was just last week when we were traveling down to UNCW for my first college games. This senior day will definitely be emotional for me, as I have been every year when I watch our seniors playing their last home games, I just didn’t know I would be in their position so soon.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
MS: I will definitely miss the team atmosphere the most, through my four years here the team has always been family to me. I have been able to get close to almost every player that has been through this program, and I know I will be able to hold the bonds I have made with each of them after I graduate.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
MS: I am really proud of how far this program has gone in my four years here. Not only from the asset side like gear and facilities, but also how much the culture in the program has changed over the years for the better. The way our class and the classes surrounding us have been able to shape the mindset and work ethic of this program is one of the biggest reasons our team is in the position it is in today, and it is setting up the groundwork for all the classes who are going to be coming in future years.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Leary as your head coach?
MS: Coach Leary has done so much for me to help me be the person and athlete that I am today. I wouldn’t even be at Lehigh if he didn’t decide to take a chance on that skinny right-handed pitcher from Illinois that no one else was looking at. The rules that he had ingrained into the program way before I was ever here, like showing up 15 minutes early to everything (or showing up 15 minutes early to the 15 minutes early) was so important for me to mature and become who I am today. Coach Leary has taught me accountability and work ethic through himself, and also the players he has recruited and taught in the past that I have been able to learn through. I am going to miss have Coach Leary as a coach, but I am also really excited to continue to have a close connection with him for the many years to come.
What are your post-graduate plans?
MS: I am planning on continuing my baseball career after I graduate.
#35 – Quinn McKenna – Outfielder – Royersford, Pa. – Mechanical Engineering
What’s your favorite Lehigh Baseball memory up until this point? Why?
QM: My favorite Lehigh Baseball memory was when we beat Navy on Senior Day during my freshman season in 2018. It was an emotional day for many of our seniors, and it was great to see us come together as a team and grind out a 1-0 win against one of the best pitchers in the league.
Describe the relationship you have with your fellow seniors.
QM: Our senior class is extremely close. We have unique relationships where we can be cracking jokes one second, and the next second, we can turn around and focus on what needs to be done. Those relationships have helped us stay loose during stressful times, but continue to have a competitive edge when we need it.
Describe the feeling going into Senior Day. What are some of the thoughts going through your mind as you’re nearing the end of your collegiate career?
QM: Senior Day has brought up many different thoughts and emotions. It is tough to think I will not be sharing the field with the guys in the near future, but I am glad we are in a position to extend our season. I am proud to see how much we all have grown as baseball players and leaders. Without that growth, we wouldn’t be in the position we are as a team today.
What will you miss most about Lehigh Baseball?
QM: I will miss the close relationships I have formed with my teammates and coaches. I look forward to going to the field every day because I feel at home when I am around the team. There’s nothing I would rather do than play the game I love with my closest friends.
How proud are you of the growth the Lehigh Baseball program has taken in the past four years and continues to take in the future?
QM: Lehigh Baseball has grown so much since I stepped on campus in 2017. It’s exciting seeing how Coach Leary and Coach Miller have made Lehigh Baseball into a top academic D1 baseball program over the past 4 years. They continue to bring in more talented freshmen classes, and create more opportunities for their players to develop athletically.
What has it meant to you personally and athletically to have had Coach Leary as your head coach?
QM: Coach Leary has been a great mentor to me over my career at Lehigh. He has helped ease my stress during the low points, but continued to challenge me to become a better student, baseball player, and leader. His dedication has driven me to become the best version of myself I can possibly be.
What are your post-graduate plans?
I plan to enter the workforce as an engineer.
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